Sylvie Parcineau -<\/strong> Traditionally, the two main business parks are to the east and west of the Toulon conurbation. There is the Toulon Ouest industrial zone, which covers the communes of La Garde, La Farl\u00e8de and part of La Crau. It dates back to the late 1960s and is still expanding. It is also at the entrance to this industrial estate that we find the the largest concentration of shops in the department<\/strong> with Grand Var, Grand Var Est and Avenue 83, as well as a wide range of retail outlets. The industrial zone is home to a number of major companies, notably in underwater robotics. On the west side, in La Seyne and Six-Fours, there is the Playes zone, which is home to production and service companies, and the Technopole de la Mer<\/strong> Ollioules, which really is the city's spearhead for sea and defence-related industries, but which is also opening up to other sectors of excellence. Naval Group, for example, has established its flagship here. It's home to start-ups and activities linked to onboard marine and submarine systems, which can also be developed for the air and land sectors. This entire technical ecosystem around the sea is run by both the P\u00f4le Mer M\u00e9diterran\u00e9e and System Factory. This type of cluster brings together, on request, companies that aggregate technology building blocks to produce tailor-made proposals and meet the expectations of major customers in the defence or civil marine sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The new eco-neighbourhood for creativity and knowledge is the spearhead and showcase of this ecosystem.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Sylvie Parcineau -<\/strong> There's the dockyard, of course, but that's not all: maritime techniques are developing in other areas, as is the technological ecosystem. The city wants to develop an ecosystem of high-performance start-ups. Chalucet<\/strong> embodies this dynamic in Toulon city centre: this new eco-neighbourhood<\/strong> of the creativity<\/strong> and knowledge<\/strong> is the spearhead and showcase of this ecosystem, driven by Toulon Var Technologies<\/strong> (TVT). There's an incubator, acceleration programmes, both in the technical field and in culture and knowledge. This is also reflected in the organisation of the Murex festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sylvie Parcineau -<\/strong> Absolutely: it's not just cosmetic! There's a strong desire to get involved, with tools that will enable us to nurture this Rue des Arts. This district corresponds to the former \"Chicago\", the notorious district of Toulon, which is currently being redeveloped. urban regeneration<\/strong> for fifteen years. It is now home to the Rue des Arts, a range of housing, facilities and services. There are also more and more third places<\/strong>spaces coworking<\/strong>etc. The idea, in the lower town, is for start-ups to find premises and an environment in which to develop in association with a number of small businesses. There's also a whole dynamic linked to design. So there's an economy developing around these themes, supported by the city and TVT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Is Toulon's economy diversifying, or is it still primarily focused on the sea and defence?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
So the installation of an \"arts street\" in the city centre is not just a cosmetic change? Would it underpin a more global strategy, with an economic dimension?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n